Eagles turn back Warren, 7-3

The Eastern baseball team was outhit by a 7-to-5 clip on Saturday in Meigs County, but that didn’t stop the Eagles from claiming their 10th straight victory with a 7-3 triumph over non-conference guest Warren.

Eastern (23-2) stranded a pair of runner on base in the first inning, but broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the second, as Matthew Blanchard reached on an error and ultimately made it home.

Warren tied the game at one in the top of the fourth inning, with back-to-back doubles by Evan Gandee and Drew Huffman. The Warriors took the lead in the top of the sixth as Seth Dennis scored on an error and Levi Tucker singled in Gandee.

After being held to just one hit over three scoreless innings, Eastern’s offense broke the cold spell in the bottom of the sixth. Kaleb Hill led the inning off with a single and later scored on a bases loaded walk. Blanchard scored the tying run on a sac-fly, and then Josh Brewer crossed for the go-ahead run.

The Eagles gained a little breathing room with two-outs in the inning, as Colton Reynolds scored and then Ethen Richmond hit a two-run double.

The Warriors could only muster a single in the top of the seventh inning and fell by a 7-3 final.

Christian Mattox earned the pitching victory in a complete game for the Eagles, striking out five batters, walking one, while allowing three runs on seven hits.

Huffman took the setback in 1⅔ innings of relief for Warren, allowing six runs on six walks and a hit.

For the EHS offense, Richmond doubled once and drove in two runs, while Reynolds, Hill, Brewer and Austin Coleman each singled once and scored once, with Reynolds picking up an RBI. Blanchard contributed a pair of runs to the winning cause.

Leading the guests, Dennis was 2-for-4 with a run, Gandee doubled once and scored twice, while Huffman finished with a double and an RBI. Tucker, Thomas Miller and Noah Edgell each singled once for WHS, with Tucker earning an RBI.

Warren was responsible for two of the game’s three errors. Eastern stranded seven runners on base, two more than WHS.

Originally scheduled for a doubleheader, EHS was ahead 4-2 in the top of the third when the game was called due to weather.

The top-seeded Eagles will host No. 8 seed Federal Hocking in the sectional final on Tuesday. EHS swept the Lancers in the regular season, winning 14-2 in Stewart on April 2, and 12-2 at home on May 3.